CAREER: A Novel Approach to Catalysis for Next Generation Direct-Hydrocarbon Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

建议编号：CBET-0643931 PRINCIPAL调查员：麦金托什，史蒂文研究：弗吉尼亚大学CAREER：一种新的催化下一代直接碳氢化合物固体氧化物燃料电池的方法智能价值许多技术正在开发中，以提高发电系统的效率。固体氧化物燃料电池(SOFC)是最有前景的大规模分布式系统之一。SOFC使用氧阴离子导电电解液，理论上可以对供应给燃料电极(阳极)的任何可燃燃料进行操作。由于阳极材料的限制，目前的SOFC不必要地限制在氢燃料上。将传统碳氢燃料和生物衍生碳氢燃料高效转化为电能的固体氧化物燃料电池的发展将带来巨大的社会效益。在开发新的氧化物基阳极方面已经取得了进展；然而，人们对这些新材料的催化性能有了很好的了解。高性能的负极材料必须同时具有高的氧离子和电子导电性以及对燃料氧化的催化活性。总的研究目标是了解复合氧化物中发生的耦合离子传输和催化过程，并将其与材料结构和组成联系起来。将采取三种不同的方法。首先，将利用脉冲反应器技术来研究新型SOFC负极材料上碳氢化合物氧化活性中心的性质和反应机理。其次，将制作具有良好结构、成分和几何形状的薄膜电极，并将其作为模型SOFC运行。在这些模型体系上进行的电化学和催化联合测量将考察外加电位、膜微结构和离子通量对表面反应速率和机理的影响。最后，将制造实验室规模的SOFC，以演示该技术的应用，并将燃料电池性能与基本阳极材料性能联系起来。这项工作将通过对材料表面和体积的微观结构和组成的详细表征来补充。布罗德影响拟议的研究与教育部分相结合，将能源技术教育纳入弗吉尼亚大学的课程。将开发一门高级本科课程，探索围绕能源使用的技术和社会问题。此外，还将进行一项新的本科生燃料电池实验。一年级的工程学课程将允许学生设计和制造与能源相关的新型设备。学生们将在大学开放日展示他们的作品，与公众分享他们的想法和设计。此外，化学反应工程研究生课程将被修订，以包括新兴能源技术背后的基本概念。高效直接碳氢燃料电池的开发将对美国的能源生产产生重大影响。最终的研究目标是利用现成的燃料生产实验室规模的燃料电池，这将通过一项切实的科学发现立即向公众提供服务。了解氧化物中的耦合传输和催化在化学传感器、致密氧化膜和新兴的纳米离子领域有着广泛的应用。

PROPOSAL NUMBER.: CBET-0643931PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: McIntosh, StevenINSTITUTION: University of VirginiaCAREER: A Novel Approach to Catalysis for Next Generation Direct-Hydrocarbon SolidOxide Fuel Cells Intellectual MeritA number of technologies are under development to increase the efficiency of power generation systems. One of the most promising for large scale and distributed systems is the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC). SOFCs utilize an oxygen anion conducting electrolyte and may theoretically operate on any combustible fuel supplied to the fuel electrode, the anode. Current SOFC are unnecessarily restricted to hydrogen fuel due to anode materials limitations. The development of SOFC that efficiently convert both traditional and bio-derived hydrocarbon fuels to electrical power would be of great benefit to society. Progress has been made in developing new oxide-based anodes; however, the catalytic properties of these novel materials are note well understood. A high performance anode material must posses both high oxygen ion and electron conductivity and catalytic activity towards fuel oxidation. The overall research goal is to understand the coupled ion transport and catalytic processes occurring in complex oxides and relate these to the material structure and composition.Three distinct approaches will be taken. First, a pulse reactor technique will be utilized to investigate the nature of the active site and reaction mechanism for hydrocarbon oxidation on novel SOFC anode materials. Second, thin film electrodes with well defined structure, composition and geometry will be fabricated and operated as model SOFCs. Combined electrochemical and catalytic measurements on these model systems will investigate the influence of applied potential, film microstructure and ionic flux on the surface reaction rate and mechanism. Finally, lab-scale SOFCs will be fabricated to demonstrate the application of this technology and relate fuel cell performance to the fundamental anode material properties. The work will be supplemented by detailed characterization of the microstructure and composition of the material surface and bulk.Broader ImpactThe proposed research is integrated with an educational component that incorporates energy technology education into the University of Virginia curriculum. A senior level undergraduate course will be developed that explores both technological and societal issues surrounding energy use. This will be supplemented by a new undergraduate laboratory fuel cell experiment. A freshman engineering course will allow students to design and build novel energy-related devices. The students will present their work at university open days to share their ideas and designs with the public. In addition, the graduate chemical reaction engineering class will be revised to include the fundamental concepts behind emerging energy technologies.The development of an efficient direct-hydrocarbon fuel cell will have a significant impact upon energy production in the US. The final research goal of producing a lab-scale fuel cell operating on readily available fuels will provide immediate outreach to the public through a tangible scientific discovery. Understanding coupled transport and catalysis in oxides has broader application in the fields of chemical sensors, dense oxide membranes and the emerging field of nano-ionics.